


damn the dark, damn the light

by rickomens



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alpha Bang Chan, Alpha Hwang Hyunjin, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Historical, Beta Kim Seungmin, Beta Lee Minho | Lee Know, Beta Yang Jeongin | I.N, Gen, Here it goes, I cannot believe I'm writing abo, M/M, Magic-Users, Multi, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Han Jisung | Han, Omega Lee Felix (Stray Kids), Omega Seo Changbin, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, bang chan is ominous, does changbin have ptsd? yea, i think, it's not for the fetish more like for the animalistic depiction of humans, its abo but hyunjin is still queer, the MAMA performance got me THINKING
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:34:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27942326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rickomens/pseuds/rickomens
Summary: Chan is the alpha leader of a pack of warrior rejects. Someone hunting birds in his lands on a brisk autumn morning disturbs his peace as he listens to the wind blow and watches the sun rise. So he goes to investigate.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 73





	1. the arch-magician presides

Chan stepped onto the plain, smelling the air, looking around himself. He still couldn’t sense anyone. Until...

**SCHWOOP**

The arrow flew across the air, high to the outer branches of the pine, hitting a big crow. Another noise emitted as the bird fell to the ground with a thud. That. That’s how Chan could finally locate this person. He took a few running steps, hiding into the grove of the downhill that led to the location where the crow had been hunted. Expertly Chan neared the place, knowing his own woods like the back of his hand. It wasn’t hard to hide. For him. He looked behind his shoulder. Nor his brother. Just a dozen steps more and he could see the figure of another person. Small, delicate, blonde. Either a child or a very lanky male omega. He was accompanied with a light-colored horse, who was steadily standing behind him. When Chan averted his gaze slightly to the East, to the direction that the boy was walking in, he could see the big crow dead on the ground.

The boy wasn’t holding his bow in his hand. It was tied to his quiver that was safely secured on his back, the strap going across his chest. Upon all his observations about the archer, Chan decided to come forth, deducing that this person would be no danger to him.

“Have you not been taught that you shouldn’t hunt on land that belongs to another?” he acquired in a stout voice. 

The boy jumped upon hearing the alpha’s loud voice, turning to him and taking a hold of his horse’s bridle. Clearly alarmed.

_Omega._ The boy was a male omega.

Chan laughed.

“Be not afraid. I am not a bad man,” he assured. And somewhere in his blood he could feel someone mocking him. 

“I just don’t appreciate people doing whatever they want on my territory. I can tell that you aren’t doing this out of malice, however. You must be simply mistaken… What is a lone omega doing here, hunting birds of no value, anyway? Shouldn’t you be with your pack? You’re young too…”

The omega straightened his back, doing his best to look directly at the larger stranger:

“I am simply training. I have felt injustice towards myself inside my pack and I am reaching for independence from it.” 

The voice of the omega was surprisingly deep. Yet it was melodious. _Beautiful_ , Chan thought.

“Well. Looks like that isn’t going too well for you. Couldn’t distinguish owned land from free or what may belong to your people,” he mocked. And in seconds, the confident stance that the omega had so well established, started to crumble. Chan paid attention to the sharp adam’s apple moving up, then down as the boy gulped.

“What’s your name, omega?” he asked, gray eyes trained on the other.

“F-Felix,” the omega tried sounding brave again, despite his now slightly shaky voice.

_Felix_. That was a mythical name. Rare around here. He was also fair-haired. Also a rare trait around these lands. The boy must have elven blood in him. Chan desperately wanted to introduce him to someone and frankly, just get to know him better for selfish reasons too. 

He sighed, shaking his head just a bit.

“It is only fair then that I tell you mine. My name is Chan, I am the head alpha of a small, stray pack and I own these lands.”

The boy nodded. Acting exaggeratedly interested in what Chan was saying.

“You interest me a great deal, Felix. And if you allow me to be forward, I could maybe even help you with what you are aiming for. You’re a great archer, I can see that. However, I can sense that you’re still quite frightened at my presence. Perhaps it’d be easier to talk to someone a bit more like yourself?” Chan continued.

Felix listened to him intently, bowing a little at the compliment of his arching skills. A bit of confusion started to settle in at the last remark. That was until he got startled at the alpha yelling out:

“Changbin!”

Felix looked around at the yell of somebody’s name. From the same direction, maybe a bit to East from where Chan had emerged, now walked in another human. He approached them sharply, glaring up to the alpha in what seemed to be a piece of wordless communication.

“You heard everything?” Chan confirmed.

“Yes,” the smaller nodded.

“All right. I’ll leave you two to it then,” the alpha kind-of smiled and walked away, quickly disappearing in the woods.

Felix didn’t notice that he had left his eyes lingering after the alpha, until he heard the shorter clear his throat.

Indeed, the boy in front of him now was short, even shorter than Felix himself but oh so much more built than him. Clearly someone who had spent his time doing something else than being sheltered and protected his whole life despite being an omega like Felix.

Felix gulped again he really hoped that the omega wasn’t– No, he was unclaimed,,,

“You’re really nervous again. Don’t worry, you aren’t in danger,” the boy smiled, “as you could probably hear, I’m Changbin, Chan’s younger brother.”

_Oh thank lord,_ Felix thought.

“Are you going to do anything with that crow?” Changbin asked, motioning at the dead bird behind them with his head, “do you even know any place of running water around here where you could wash up if you’re planning to pluck it or skin it?”

“W-well. I can get to familiar lands pretty fast from here. I- I use all of my preys usually, I’m not picky.”

Changbin noticed how the boy didn’t say _his people’s lands_ but _familiar lands_. 

Who knows how far from his homeland the boy was. Could also be that the independence-striving omega didn’t want to call the lands of his people necessarily _his._

“There’s a streak, just a bit North-East from here. We can go there, I can help you,” he suggested. 

Felix pondered for a second before nodding, taking a hold of the arrow still connected to his prey with his free hand as the other grabbed the harness of his horse, and started walking after the other omega.

“How old are you, Felix?” the black-haired omega asked, turning his face towards Felix who was now walking by his side.

“Eighteen summers and an autumn child.”

“Oh wow, only a year younger than me. I’m a twenty-summer summer child. You look younger.”

_You look older._ That's what Felix wanted to say but realized that as an omega, Changbin may take it as an insult. That is not what Felix would be aiming for. He didn’t look old as in bad. He looked experienced, strong, confident. Everything that Felix had never been let to be.

Felix was surprised at how truly quickly they arrived at the base of a small hill, where a medium-sized streak winded. He patted his horse on its side and let it go to drink up from the flowing water. He took out his sharp knife, directing his focus back on the crow.

“Do you want me to put on a fire so you can dry and clean your equipment after?” Changbin offered.

“Yes, please. That’s so nice of you,” Felix smiled back.

The two got to work, conversing airily about this and that.

After the sun had already significantly moved to the West from when they had first met each other, Felix sat next to the fire to sanitize his blade. Altering between washing it with water, rubbing it to the ground and running it in the flames.

That’s when Changbin gathered his courage to start asking more, taking in a deep breath and exhaling it out. This grabbed Felix’s attention and he turned to him.

“Look Felix, one of the reasons why Chan was so adamant on getting to know you rather than just telling you to piss off from his territory is that, well, you seem to have elven blood and–”

Felix laughed bitterly, interrupting the elder: “Yes. You’re right. Elven, omega and a bastard. Everything anyone could want, right?”

“Oh?”

“Yes, I’m an omega child of a result of the affair of the second-in-command alpha of my pack and a flimsy, elven-tribe beta somewhere from the South. Don’t ask me anything of her, I know nothing. She left me with my alpha-father’s pack as soon as she got me out,” Felix explained, sighing.

“They’re ashamed of me. Never letting me practice using magic. I have no idea of my powers. I know I can summon fireflies and butterflies. Bees too and I tried to help with the farming like that a few springs ago but they forbid me..”

Changbin listened to him quietly, looking at the ground. He felt bad for the boy.

“I think they’re scared of how powerful you could become,” he said quietly.

“What?” Felix asked, not hearing him.

So Changbin looked up, repeating what he said: “They’re scared of how strong you could be if you could use your magic.”

“That’s what I like to think too,” Felix snorted, “but oh, they shouldn’t have to worry. I’ll escape and start learning independently, forgetting them as soon as I get away. I’m not the one to seek revenge if they just let me go.”

Something inside Changbin flinched at that. Felix’s pack may really have to worry if things go to the direction they seemed to be going right now. Or maybe not. You could never know with Chan.

He shook his worry away and instead, said something that he believed Felix actually would really like to hear: “the youngest in our pack, a beta called Jeongin, is a really good magic user. That was one of the reasons we were so surprised to see you.”

And Changbin was cursing destiny for that surprise. They were just supposed to go see who on earth was shooting birds in their lands. And now it had practically turned into them taking another member in their pack. And that was all just because the archer happened to look fascinating. And because that archer also happened to be planning on escaping. All of that just thanks to destiny.

And no, they hadn’t explicitly yet talked about Felix joining their pack but the moment Changbin had heard Felix recite the words: ‘ _injustice towards myself inside my pack and I am reaching for independence_ ’, he knew what was going to happen, the words sounding all too familiar. Because that’s how destiny worked.

“Wow. He can really use magic well?”

“Truly, he’s incredible. He almost seems like an alpha sometimes, he’s really powerful,” Changbin sought. 

“Oh wow, Changbin. If I happen to meet him, do I need to watch myself around him?” Felix giggled and winked.

Changbin gave him a confused look: “Uhh?”

“Y’know. Is he yours?”

Changbin laughed, shaking his head a little startled: “Oh– no. No. He’s two summers younger than me.”

“Oh but that’s nothing, Changbin. Don’t close off options,” Felix slapped him playfully. Changbin sent a glare in his way and Felix shook his head, apologising quietly. He could tell that Changbin wasn’t truly mad but he didn’t want to get on his bad side, even a little.

“No, no. I’m going to stop teasing. And I’m not that kind of omega who needs to watch himself anyway, y’know. But do tell more about your pack? You’re a non-biological pack, right?”

“Apart from me and Chan, yes. Chan is practically our only alpha and our eldest. He is five years older than me, an autumn child just like you...” Changbin went on to tell about his pack as broadly as he could while still keeping it brief.

When Felix asked how Chan ended up leading his own pack and how no one else but Changbin from their family came along, Changbin froze for a second. He couldn’t tell the truth. Although Changbin believed that Felix isn’t completely ignorant to the ruthlessness of the life that forest dwellers and warriors lead, the truth would still be very unwelcoming. And Chan would really not be happy with that. So he told a lie that he has told many of times before:

“Our pack were warriors,” _that wasn’t a lie,_ “one day, they went into a battle bigger than they had ever gone to. We were still children, we would’ve only been in the way. They abandoned us for the battle.”

Changbin hated how it sounded like a weep-story. To be fair, he had made that up in a situation where he had had to make the person feel bad for him. Nowadays he told it with a bad taste in his mouth.

He hated the sympathetic look on Felix’s otherwise charming face. 

“But I could really see that you are warriors and good ones as well. How are you so good at hiding? When I talked to your brother I could’ve never guessed that you were near,” the boy, thankfully, changed the topic naturally.

“Well it happens to be one of my expertees. However, Felix, I have to say this. You do realize what would’ve happened to you if we were malicious? Chan has five times the physical power of yours, more probably. And you had no idea I was around. Anything could happen to you if you’re so careless, Felix.”

“I know. I realized that today. I was lucky.”

_Destiny’s on your side_ , Changbin thought.

  
  


After Changbin had convinced Felix that he shouldn’t cook the crow and he should stop eating whatever he hunted and start hunting quality birds, like ducks if he really wanted to succeed with acquiring his own food, Felix packed the bird’s feathers inside a little bag that he carried alongside his bow and quiver of arrows. A bunch of time had again passed. That worried Changbin.

“Shouldn’t you start going back before the sun starts setting? They’ll start looking for you.”

Felix chuckled briefly at that, a smug look climbing on his face: “Look Changbin, you don’t have to act coy. I may be inexperienced but I’m not dumb. I know you are planning the same thing as I am. You planned it before me. Chan decided it. I’ll join your pack. I’ll become a great magic user, archer and a warrior with you.”

What Felix said sent Changbin into a mountain range of emotions. He was fond of this youthful, care-free omega, and very happy that Felix was so eager to join. At the same time his anxieties of this all kicked in, the fact that they were basically going to steal this magic-wielding omega and that he had been untruthful with him. But mostly, he was amused. So he let out a loud laugh:

“Oh, but Felix you are! Can’t you hear yourself. You don’t have your belongings with you and you are willing to follow a complete stranger to his pack as an omega! I have never heard of anything sillier. Don’t you see what we’d look like too? Just grabbing you from the forest. No, Felix. You are going to go home and continue your act of helpless, isolated omega until you can really trust us and you are going to plan your escape and inform your pack then accordingly.”

At the end Changbin’s laughter had subdued into a stern voice.

Felix looked at the ground. Ashamed.

“Come. I’ll escort you to the road,” Changbin said, already marching through the brushwoods, “the open where we met for the first time today? You know how to get there again right?”

“Yes,” Felix nodded, following the older, commanding his horse to follow him suit.

“Let’s meet there tomorrow. I’ll bring Jeongin too. I’ll put on a fire too, so you’ll know it’s the right place for sure.”

“Thank you, Changbin.”

“You’re welcome.”

“...but I have to defend myself one more time.”

“Hm?” Changbin nodded, listening.

“I trust you already because I know that any minute throughout the entire time we’ve been together, you could’ve killed me or abducted me, but you haven't. You have no malice towards me,” Felix proclaimed, confidence back in his voice. 

Changbin grinned.

“I can't say you are incorrect. But I still hope you are learning your lesson.”

“I am.”

They arrived under the tree where Felix had shot that crow. From there they headed South where Felix had come from. Eventually they arrived to free land that often was left between territories since having touching borders with other territories didn’t work with the naturally possessive alphas. This particular strip didn’t divide Chan’s territory with another alpha’s. Beyond this piece of woods was a road that led to a market place. Upon arriving at the edge of the road, Felix climbed on his horse.

“Goodbye Changbin, I’ll meet you after the sunrise tomorrow!” Felix’s presence turned a lot more impressive as he sat on his steed, voice booming down on Changbin. 

“Have a safe trip, Felix!” Changbin yelled after the younger as he took his course to the West.

Changbin spun around, quickly jogging to the territory of his brother and their pack.

Leisurely he walked towards the hill where their main houses were located, thinking about everything he had talked about with Felix, trying to predict in his head how the next days were going to play out. 

The sun had already started setting when he got back at the dwells. He took a look at the paddock near Minho’s hut. Two dark brown horses looking back at him,one of them galloping on its place as if to greet him. Further in, he was greeted with the sight of Chan conversing with Jeongin, an axe chopping wood beside them by itself. A sight that might've startled someone not aware of the pack’s youngest magic powers.

Jeongin was especially talented at enchanting weaponry, making him a great warrior and the designated woodcutter and carpenter in their little commune. Only the two fingers of his right hand were moving, controlling the movements of the axe. 

Chan quickly noticed his brother’s presence and looked at him over Jeongin’s shoulder.

“You were gone for a long time. Report what happened and what you got to know.”

“He wants to join. His mother is an elven person and he possesses some magic but is not skilled but that is only because he has not been let to use his abilities. He is eager to learn and at the same time both sweet and brave, like a feline,” Changbin responded.

“Jeongin. Make sure you get your work done tonight and that you won’t have the watch shift for the ensuing night of tomorrow. You’ll come with me to meet him next morning,” he continued turning to Jeongin.

The beta had carefully set the axe on the ground without Changbin even noticing.

“Ohh, that sounds like fun. I sure will,” he grinned, picking the axe up again with just a wag of his fingers. He redirected his focus on the wood in front of him, letting the siblings discuss amongst themselves.

After a moment he heard the omega exclaim:

“I’m going to take my leave now! See you at sunrise, Jeongin!”

Jeongin turned to give him a parting wave.

The alpha cleared his throat:

“I’m going to leave soon too but I do have to talk about a thing or two about tomorrow with you, Jeongin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LORE EXPLANATIONS:
> 
> \- Elven people are not necessarily elves. They are just this au's common humans with magic powers. That word is just what is used, mainly because I like the visual associations the term provides.
> 
> \- The characters mainly only use "east" and "west" as directions rather than left and right. left and right may be used by the narrator
> 
> \- They measure years and age in summers
> 
> \- the season of the time of one's birth serves the same significance as horoscopes/blood types


	2. why don't you ask him if he's going to stay?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The magic-users meet !!

The next morning was just a bit colder than the last but similarly bright and sunny. Changbin draped on a clean change of clothes. 

He stepped out, walking to the small spring that sat on their hill. He took a scoopful of the water, drank it and took another one to splash his face with.

The plums were ripening and he picked one from the biggest of the trees to eat.

In front of the biggest building on the hill, his brother was stretching up the sleep from his limbs in the morning sun.

“Were you planning on tagging along today?” Changbin inquired. 

“No, I don't have any need to, right? I’ll meet him again some other day as I think my presence would still overwhelm him. ”

“That's fair.. Busy with other duties today, huh?”

“I suppose so,” the alpha was slightly hopping on his place, warming himself up while still carrying out the conversation. 

Changbin turned around as he sensed a soul approaching them. The first thing his eyes saw was the sun reflecting off the beta’s bright hair and his strong features stretching into a smile.

“Hi,” he set a hand on Changbin’s shoulder, greeting him with a somewhat-embrace.

His face got a little more serious as he gave Chan a subtle bow that resembled just a nod of the head really.

“So,, we are ready to go?” he turned back to Changbin. 

“Sure. I think we are,” the omega confirmed, giving one last look and a nod to Chan as a parter.

“We should take some of our fruit to him as a gift, I think,” Changbin mused.

“... And he won’t think it’s poisoned?”

Changbin gave the taller a sour look, scoffing:

“You know I don’t resort to poison. Such a petty weapon. He knows this too.”

The stupid question caused him to twiddle with his belt that carried his dagger on his thigh. He grabbed a basket, pushing it in Jeongin’s hands.

“You. Pick the fruit, you offended me. And you’re tall.”

☽…….. ☼

“You’ll give it to him nonetheless, if he trusts you. Who knows what he could think that I’ve done to them. They believe my kind to be cunning folk after all,” Jeongin insisted Changbin take the basket as they traveled downhill. 

The latter complied, taking the basket and laughing at the unconfident state of the younger:

“I think he might be one of the people with whom you have to fear prejudice the least.”

Jeongin shrugged: “he hasn’t been raised as fond of his powers. He could be extra mean.”

“I can assure you that despite his upbringing, actually, because of his sorrowful upbringing, he has nothing but excitement and curiosity for magic.”

Walking past the fence enclosing their horses had reminded Changbin of something.

“He rides a sizable, loyal horse. It will definitely come in with him. Minho and you need to expand the paddock. It’s the right size for two but you know it starts getting too small for three… And for four it would be downright torture,” he spoke up after a while of silence. 

Jeongin snickered a bit at Changbin’s mention of the fourth horse but quickly composed himself, he had annoyed the older enough for today already.

“That's good to know, yes. Have you told Minho?”

“I haven't. I haven't spoken to him once after meeting Felix, haven't crossed paths,” Changbin admitted.

“Right, he was on night watch this night, so that's no wonder,” Jeongin nodded.

They continued their pleasant but mundane everyday conversation as they descended the forest paths.

Jeongin was looking around, appreciating the beauty of the autumn forest.

Until suddenly, he sensed a movement in the bushes just a few meters North West to the two. It could’ve been the wind but the wind wasn’t gusting like that. In examining your surroundings, he had been taught to always pay attention to patterns, the rhythm of things, that way you can sense anything anywhere.

The rustle of the leaves that emitted from the bush just now was out of pattern from the other movements of the environment. That alarmed him. There was something there. 

_Why didn’t Changbin react? Changbin noticed everything._

“Did you notice that?” Jeongn hissed.

“Noticed what?”

“There was movement behind us.”

“Oh,” Changbin turned his gaze to the West, “a fox scampered past there just now. Seemed to be because of that.”

_Oh_ , Jeongin thought. He had noticed. He had just noticed so much earlier that the sound didn’t startle him anymore

“Wonder if the fox’s pride was hurt upon us two humans noticing him. They pride themselves on being such sly creatures,” Changbin sneered, quickly glancing over his shoulder to the direction of the said fox.

Jeongin let out a loud laugh: “you sure know sly creatures. I would say you would definitely win a fox at a competition of which is more covert"

“Oh, I agree. I would,” the omega chimed, giving one last look behind his shoulder. 

It didn’t take long for them to find the tree where Felix had shot the crow yesterday. Changbin was leading the way as they descended to the expanse with a few tall pines. 

Changbin set the basket down on the ground and Jeongin flopped down to sit beside it. 

Changbin walked around the area for a while.

“Jeonginnie,” he called out, stepping towards the younger, “can you please cut down that sapling? I promised him to make a fire so if he can’t find us, he can follow the smoke. You took an axe right?”

“I did,” the beta said, taking his axe out of his rucksack, twisting his head left to right, “that one's okay too, right?”

Jeongin pointed at the alder sapling behind his back. 

“Sure.”

Without standing up or saying another word, the magic-user twisted himself around and raised the axe up to the air with a simple raise of his index and middle finger.

While he made quick work out of the small tree, Changbin cleared out and stoned around an area for making the fire. 

Jeongin found it significantly harder to wait and just sit around than Changbin did. The latter had gotten used to hunting and killing like a lion, mastering his ability to just wait as long as he needed to. 

It was also probably the anxiety of meeting a new person that made Jeongin restless. 

He looked at Changbin who was watching the fire, gaze focused on the dancing of the flames and the burning of the wood. 

The flames reflected off his deep brown eye while the red one almost looked like it glowed from the light that was provided. 

Jeongin almost dozed off, relaxed at the radiating warmth of the fire before a loud neigh rang in the forest. 

Soon enough he saw a boy leading a big, admittedly beautiful horse towards them. As the pair got closer, Jeongin could see that the boy was too, admittedly beautiful.

The boy smiled upon seeing Changbin, giving an excited wave of his hand. He tied the end of a long sling to a sturdy tree, patting the horse on its neck, murmuring something along the lines of 'good boy'. 

The two omegas greeted each other happily.

Then Felix walked over to Jeongin, bowing politely. Jeongin did the same. 

“Felix.”

“Jeongin.”

The two got to know each other quickly, both getting increasingly interested in each other's abilities.

“Can you please show me how you control weapons like that, that's incredible!” Felix gasped, excited.

“Of course I can,” Jeongin proudly laughed, “Changbin, can I use your dagger?”

“Sure,” the eldest of the tree nodded, pulling out the knife, handing it to Jeongin. 

Jeongin tossed the dagger up, spinning it in the air twice, catching it back smoothly. His grip on the weapon was master-like and he grinned:

“I’m pretty good at handling these things without magic too but,” he tossed the knife back in the air, this time not catching it with his hand but leaving it in the air. 

Felix’s eyes widened as they were closely fixed on the actions of the betas hand. His right palm was outstretched, palm facing the sky. He turned around, away from the two and the knife followed the movements of his right hand. He flipped its position on the air, back still facing the omegas, he raised the two fingers of his. And mimicking an action that almost looked like he was slapping the air, he sent the dagger flying forward steadily, in a straight line. The dagger hit an old oak in a significant distance from the trio.

Changbin scowled, annoyed that his weapon had to be used for such a waste of a trick.

Jeongin turned to him.

“Ah, I’m sorry, Changbin… You know I will sharpen it back for you, right?” he pouted at the older in exaggerated regret, stepping closer to stroke his shoulder apologetically earning an eye roll from the omega. 

Felix just stared at Jeongin, mouth agape:

“That's- that's amazing.”

The taller turned to him, smirking.

“You shouldn’t praise me so much. You can probably train to do the same,” the grin turned into a smile, “although it might be that your abilities have a stronger suit in some other area than weapon handling, magic is such an unknown territory, it can be extremely unique with certain people.”

“But I bet you can learn to do something as great. What type of areas have you noticed your magic working in?”

“Uhm,” Felix started, “I can summon some animals, well insects I guess, not the best time of the year to show it really but I can summon butterflies and bees to pollinate and fireflies too…”

“Oh? And you seem to be good at handling your horse as well. I think you have a talent with animals… Minho’s going to love you!”

“But I’ve heard you’re good with weapons too. You’re a good archer, right? Can you show me? Y’know, as trade?”

“Oh uhm, I didn’t actually take my bow and arrows with me today… since I wasn’t coming to hunt or train,” he looked at the ground, playing with his fingers awkwardly.

“Oh, okay?”

Changbin, who had been quiet for a while now, furrowed his brows.

“Felix, I’m sorry, you didn't what?” he hissed in disbelief, “you traveled alone without a weapon on you?”

Felix nodded carefully, making an expression from where you could tell he knew he had messed up.

“Are you a halfwit?” Changbin shouted at him, “Felix, you are so extremely careless. That’s so dangerous. What if you had accidentally run into someone that wasn't us? To someone else’s lands? What would have you done then? 

He scoffed, shaking his head.

“You have the full ability to survive on your own. To defend yourself. But you choose– you choose not to. Because you are stupid, that’s what you are. Stupid and ignorant.”

Jeongin looked back and forth between the two omegas, tensing up. Changbin had the ability to stab deep with his words. He knows that he had borderlined, implied even, something extremely sensitive to Felix. That the way he was treated back home is right since Felix truly can’t survive in the real world with his carelessness and that the pack can’t take in someone who could sacrifice his own and therefore the entire pack’s safety. That he was still just a dumb child. You could read that between the lines. 

It was hard to believe at this moment that the age difference between the two boys facing each other was only a year. Granted, Changbin had probably experienced more at the age of just a toddler than Felix had to this date. The life of the older had matured him to a completely different level compared to the innocent, ignorant Felix who could summon butterflies by command.

Changbin did not say those things directly, though. He said nothing that would actually wound the other or turn him away. Because he cared, he cared about the boy and wanted him to learn and grow from his mistakes. Jeongin knows that Changbin wasn’t doing all this just upon Chan’s command. He wanted to help this omega and take him in and train him even more than the alpha did. And you could hear that from his words. Jeongin knew it from personal experience. He has had his fair share of these incidents with Changbin. And Chan. And Minho too. But Changbin’s had always been the most effective. Probably because they scared him the least but hurt him the most. Maybe it was because Changbin was cunning, even more than a fox, a master manipulator.

Felix’s eyes were locked to the grounds, head hanging and shoulders slumping. And when Changbin was done, he nodded firmly, still not raising his gaze. 

Changbin mumbled something unintelligible under his breath, shaking his head.

“I get where you are coming from and I will do better in the future but I have to defend my own perspective,” Felix spoke up after a long silence.

“Well?” the older omega gave him a heavy look but nodded for him to continue.

“I would say that carrying a weapon could be more dangerous for me and no weapon would be a sign of non-aggression. You wouldn’t attack someone who doesn’t seem like a threat, right?”

Jeongin didn’t show it on his face but he was in a state of admiring disbelief. For Felix to so diligently take his scolding but still so purely standing up against an older omega – Against Changbin, was impressive. It showed a sense of honesty and genuinity that he had never witnessed before. Bravery too. And so, even if he had actually not seen any of the skills that had been touted to him, he really saw what had made Chan want the omega to stay. Although he didn’t admit it to himself because he couldn’t let himself even consider that his leader would fall into such superficiality, he had upon the first look of Felix thought that no skills or potential of this boy could be the seminal reason for the reason he was so wanted in the pack by the leader. Jeongin wouldn’t honestly even think that it’d be unjustified for Chan to want the pretty omega around just because.

But Chan wasn’t like that. Chan was a leader of warriors and Felix, he had the soul, the potential of a warrior. 

And when Changbin sighed as an answer to what Felix had just declared, Jeongin remembered that anyone approved by not only Chan but also his omega brother, would have to have the skills and the mind to be a warrior. 

With a stern look on both of their eyes, the two smaller people looked right at each other.

“Do you think your only concern as an omega is that you’ll be attacked by someone in fear? Is that how innocent you are? What about getting attacked by someone in lust? They could shoot your horse down and then how will you defend yourself?”

“I– That is exactly what I said I get from what you’re saying and why I’ll do different from now onwards…” Felix trailed off quietly, “I just needed to defend my own intellect.”

Changbin scoffed but nodded nonetheless:

“Well then.”

And still Jeongin stood there in the same disbelief. No one went against Changbin like that while still learning their lesson. Even Chan didn’t go against him like that although Changbin had no power over him. He’d just listen, brushing Changbin’s words off quietly, still more often than not taking Changbin’s words at least as an advice. And maybe there was one person who went directly against Changbin’s words all the time. But did that person ever learn anything about what had been said to him? Never.

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the tree. Quietly, Jeongin went to retrieve the dagger he had thrown, giving it to Changbin with his head in a bow. 

Felix cleared his throat, making two pairs of eyes turn to him.

The delicate boy bowed deep: “I’m sorry for the thoughtlessness of my actions and my incapability of showcasing my skills today.”

Jeongin smirked. 

“Well I wouldn’t say you’ve shown nothing. After all, talking back to old Changbin right here is a skill not many have–”

Changbin punched him on the arm.

“I wasn’t… talking back…”

“I’m just joking around,” Jeongin chuckled, “and no, Changbin you aren’t old and yes, I’ll behave. Anyway,,, I can see that you clearly possess some magic, I feel it from you. And I’ll gladly teach you more once you join. I’m looking forward to it.”

Felix’s smile of an answer was so huge that it looked like it’ll stretch out of the boy’s face. 

“Thank you.”

Silence took over the three people again. The fire was slowly stalling, crackling in the gentle wind. 

Jeongin was the first to break the wordless moment. 

“But your horse looks quite bored. Shall we commence to somewhere with running water so he can refresh?" he asked, pointing at the large horse. 

A sincere smile by Felix was shot at him.

“Sure. That'd be great. Thank you.”

☽…….. ☼

“Why didn’t you tell him to come again tomorrow? Or to stay?” Jeongin inquired after Felix was gone.

“He’ll decide if he’ll come tomorrow. He’ll decide when to stay,” Changbin retorted, “my role is not to lure him in.”

Jeongin gets that but he can't help but worry. 

“He’s inexperienced. How will he succeed without any guidance?”

“His desire is independence. He’ll succeed alone. Our lands aren’t that big and no one involved in this is so dumb that he won’t be coming across someone who knows him here. Sharp eyes observe these woods.” _He has to survive in order to survive in this pack._

"Jisung and I are going to work tomorrow anyway."

Jeongin hummed in agreement. However, the worry, this time for the older, grew. 

"Do you truly wish him to join?" 

Changbin sighed: "I do. I really do. He clearly is unhappy with his current pack," _I'm just scared of how he'll feel when finding out the whole truth and the full capability of this pack,_ "I'm just scared that he's taking too big of a bite. We don't live an easy life."

"He will. Deep inside he's fierce. He's clearly fearless, he'll fit in just fine I think."

_Is it truly a good thing to be fearless?_

With no further words, the duo trekked back to the hill. 

Now, besides the two horses, the familiar fences held in the sight of Chan. A relatively rare occurrence. He wasn't the biggest horseman of the pack. Upon the sight of his brother and the elven, he climbed over the fence, jumping down to meet the two. 

"So… how did you find him, Jeongin?" the eldest asked after they had greeted each other. 

"Oh, he was charming! And I could definitely feel his magic being strong. He seems very connected with nature," Jeongin explained excitedly. 

"Speaking of nature; are you on your way to or from something? I don't usually see you with the horses," Changbin butted in. 

After a bit of a long pause and a squint of eyes by Chan, he answered:

"Ah, well, Minho's still sleeping and no one else was around so I decided to check on them."

"Hmm, well I'm glad you're not having a too busy of a day, brother. Just observing how things are going, huh?" Changbin slyly smiled. 

"Where are Jisung and Seungmin by the way?" Jeongin suddenly asked, breaking the eye contact of the brothers with his words as Chan turned to answer him. 

"Oh, they went hunting. Jisung has been stalking this, by his words, really impressive sized boar individual so they went to get it today. The wind's right for hunting today."

"Hm, sounds like we're eating good today," Jeongin smirked, turning to Changbin, "hope the wind stays like that tomorrow. You said you were going to town with Jisung tomorrow right?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have never had as difficult of a time writing a fic as I had with this one jfc, so frustrating. anyway


	3. break the chain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it's good that the paddock got resized. two horse riders arrive at the hill.

Changbin knew Felix and Chan had met a day after he and Jeongin had seen the omega. 

After that, a bunch of days passed. 

Changbin hadn't heard anyone talk about encountering Felix in a few. 

That either meant that Felix was being smart and preparing his escape thoroughly and reconsidering it properly back in his village. Or that Chan had been a massive creep while meeting him one on one and scaring the poor thing away. 

The latter option proved to be false one day when he was walking through the forest, fulfilling some everyday duty that was so mundane that it doesn't even deserve to be mentioned. 

It was truly hard to not notice Felix’s arrival each time, the fumbling steps in still foreign paths of both him and his horse, audible even before the two were anywhere to be seen. 

Changbin let out a small exclamation of: “Felix!”

And soon he saw the boy’s head popping up behind a tree. The sight of his full quiver and arrow tied to his back made a fond smile creep up on Changbin’s face.

“Oh, Changbin, I’m so glad it’s you,” the younger rushed to him and with a deep breath in, he announced: “I’ll leave before dusk, tonight.”

Changbin was a little dumbfounded. For some reason it felt so sudden. It wasn’t hypothetical anymore, it wasn’t a plan anymore, it was real. Felix was going to be a part of them starting from the next morning.

“Oh. Wow.”

“It’s alright to you, right? Now, I mean. I feel prepared now but I can always come later…”

“No. Yes, of course it’s alright. It’s- It’s just a more worrisome situation that I expected. You know you can’t mess it up,” he tried to get his words out.

“I won’t. I assure you. I have never felt so determined in my life,” Felix assured a genuine, stern look in his eyes.

Changbin nodded silently as an answer and looked around the forest. He couldn't let the extent of his worry show. 

“I’ll come wait for you at the edge of the road. It’s harder to move around here in the dark, you need to finish the journey with confidence,” he said, still looking at the distance.

Felix's breath hitched, dropping the stallion's bridle to the ground, hopping to wrap his arms around Changbin, hugging him tightly. 

"Thank you," he exclaimed while Changbin stood there stiffly, arms glued to his sides, encircled by Felix's affection. 

"That was too sudden, sorry," the younger apologised, loosening his hold on Changbin, "I'm just so happy. I've been waiting for this so long."

Changbin gave him a reassuring smile when he pulled back. 

"Please be safe, Felix."

  
  


The younger omega didn't stay for long. Quickly on his way back home. For the last time in his life. 

  
  
  


☽…….. ☼

"He'll arrive before next morning," Changbin announced to Jisung and Chan who were working on something in the yard. 

"Oh?" Jisung's eyes widened from surprise. 

"Yes. I came across him just now, he came here to tell that."

"That's a short notice," Jisung noted. 

"Maybe. But I'm glad he's been thinking this through to the last moment. And ensuring his leave to be as successful as possible."

Jisung hummed in agreement. 

"I'm going to go meet him at the road. I need to make sure he gets here safely."

"Are you planning on going alone or taking someone with you?" Jisung furrowed his brows, ready to speak up again, possibly eager to offer himself as a companion since he and Changbin usually worked together. 

"I'll take Jeongin with me. It's least nerve-wracking for everyone involved since they already know each other," Changbin answered, eyes moving to Chan, silently looking for approval for his plan. The alpha nodded and Changbin smiled:

"I'll go and inform Jeongin and Seungmin too now, if you'll excuse me. Jisung, can you tell Minho for me, please?" 

"Yes. Of course."

  
  
  


Jeongin's irises disappeared from sight completely as he shook his head in laughter after Changbin had told the news and the plan for him:

"What happened to forcing him to be independent?" 

Changbin scoffed, honestly slightly amused himself too. But he couldn't show that to the younger. 

"Well, you have to understand that what he's already doing is independent. There’s nothing contradictory there to just ensure that he gets here safely after already doing most of the journey…”

“Just admit it, a warm heart can be found in you somewhere other than just on the palm of your hand sometimes,” Jeongin teased, tilting his head.

“So are you going to come or not?” 

The teasing: ignored. 

“Of course I’ll come. What kind of question is that?”

  
  
  
  


The moist chilliness of the pre-sunrise morning made the clothes on their bodies feel heavier than usual and created a slight fog in the forest that intensified significantly at the opening of the road.

A shiver ran through Changbin. 

"Are you cold?" Jeongin whispered softly. 

"No. I just- Jeongin… I'm so nervous," Changbin clasped onto the beta's arm, bringing their bodies closer, searching brief comfort from him. 

Jeongin tensed at the sudden action, not being used to so much physical contact with the other. 

He had also never seen the omega so restless before.

"I'm terrified he won't make it and that he made a massive mistake by deciding to leave."

He didn’t know Felix’s pack, they might be smarter than what the younger gave them credit for. They could know about his plan. They could do anything… Imprison Felix. Sell him off. Kill him. 

That's not the only danger. Something could happen on the way. 

"He's strong, Changbin, and smart, he’ll make it.”

The waiting time was filled with Changbin's nervous twitching and sighs. 

Maybe they came a little irrationally early, considering that not a single ray of sun had presented itself yet. 

Jeongin was very carefully keeping vigil, afraid that Changbin’s nervous state was impending his, honestly past-human, ability to watch his surroundings. Probably not, but Jeongin was relishing the feeling of being stronger than Changbin in some area even for a moment. Every student dreams of surpassing their teacher someday, right?

But nothing out of the ordinary happened. It was silent, save the normal sounds of the wind and the forest.

The first sound disturbing the normal sound patterns was the sound of hooves hitting the gravel of the road.

Two pairs of anticipating eyes immediately shot their gaze to the direction of the sound. A long sigh of relief left the shorter person while a large, toothy smile took over the taller. 

The two white-haired creatures couldn't be mistaken. He was there. He made it. 

Upon noticing the two men waiting for him, the blonde omega put an abrupt stop to his horse's steps. 

The descent was a bit less graceful than normally, the sacks that he had packed all his possessions in. 

With both his feet steadily on the ground he let out a nervous, little chuckle. 

"Hi," he barely breathed out. 

Oh, how Changbin wanted to sprint out and wrap his arms around the younger omega, so happy seeing him safe and sound with them right there. But his legs didn't let him. 

"We're so happy you made it," Jeongin spoke up, sensing Changbin's internal struggle of how to act. 

Felix's shoulders slumped a little as he broke into a tearless sob of relief and happiness, maybe amusement. 

"You can't even begin to imagine how happy I am."

Changbin wanted to say something. Something about how he was happy too but even if the worry of Felix getting there was gone, all the other worries came crashing down on him. 

The main one being the future of Felix's old pack. If they'd start looking for him, seeking revenge. He wanted the fact that most closeby packs around here were loyal to Chan as the strongest alpha around and that it was therefore harder for them to find where Felix would reside to reassure him. But just the chance was enough to worry him. 

That action would be the end of Felix's pack. And that in turn would destroy Felix's psyché, he'd start blaming himself. 

It may happen even if they didn't start seeking revenge… You can never be sure… 

And Changbin would yet again have to witness and participate in another slaughter. 

He had zoned out. He realized that when a shiver ran through his spine as an arm wrapped around his shoulder and the beta's voice softly rang in his ears:

"We should get going, shouldn't we?" 

Changbin coughed once, bringing himself back:

"Yes."

They indeed needed to. The road wasn't a busy one but at least a few travelers, a few market salers passed that part of the road every morning. And they'd start coming soon. 

Jeongin offered to carry some of Felix's packages to ease some strain from the horse or the boy but the boy refused, saying they'll be alright. 

Jeongin didn't start insisting so he turned around to Changbin, motioning him to lead the way. 

This was the moment that Felix was very grateful that Changbin and Jeongin had come to meet him there. The dark forest wasn't easy to navigate for anyone who didn't know the exact paths. 

Jeongin walked beside Felix, just a bit behind him. 

Changbin was sort of relieved Jeongin had let him lead; his mind was too full to converse with Felix right now. 

It also generally soothed him. Taking control of a situation, feeling like the journey was now in his hands. 

He focused on deep breaths of the misty forest air as they neared the hill. 

Felix had never been this deep into their lands before. They slowed their pace just a little bit because the terrain got a bit trickier to walk on, especially for the horse. 

_Ah, that's it._ Thankfully Felix's speciality was exactly animals. Taking care of them could be a good everyday task for him to do as he made himself feel like home. 

It was crucial for everyone's comfort that Felix would just fit in in their lives and for Felix specifically, that he'd feel like an important individual in the pack. 

He looked behind his shoulder, telling the two elvens that they could go and get Felix's steed to his designated place first. 

It felt symbolic really. That when Felix's horse would be gated by the same fences as the pack's own, his future would be sealed as well. As a part of them. Living the same life, inside the same fences as them. 

When Changbin walked over to the gate that enclosed the horses, he was met with the sight that he least had wanted to see today.

_A black horse_. A third horse. 

And before another thought could be formed in his brain, his head whipped to the direction where the small sound of light steps emitted. 

A tall figure, cled in a black cloak, with a head full of hair of a color resembling silver, walked towards them. Carrying two large pails. 

He lowered them on the ground, practically skipping his last steps, greeting them at the gate with a breathy, "Hi."

The blue eyes then immediately fixed on the blonde omega. 

"So you are the anticipated little darling," he sighed, "they mentioned your name but I simply cannot recall it now…"

"Felix," the smaller hesitantly answered, a little intimidated by the approach of the taller. Mainly he was surprised. Changbin had said days earlier that Chan was the pack’s only alpha. 

"Felix… oh, how fascinating," _a gasp_ , "and your horse, how gorgeous.

The horse that looked almost impossibly large with Felix as its rider; it looked much smaller in perspective of the tallest person there, as he took a step closer to it, admiring its ivory mane up-close. 

"And you too," he took a dramatic step back to look Felix in the eyes. 

"Chan has such a great eye for people, doesn't he?" his gaze meeting both Changbin and Jeongin. 

"What a shame that all the beauties of this pack stay so hidden in these woods. The new beauty now too... You would all be so popular..."

For the first time there was a real pause in the alpha's speech as he sighed dreamily. Felix noticed a look of distaste on Changbin’s face.

No one else spoke up to fill the pause though before the alpha started again, bowing deeply to Felix. 

“I’m sorry for not introducing myself,” he stood up straight again, “Hwang Hyunjin. I am a friend of this pack. If you will, a vagabond with loyalty to these lands and their owner.” 

  
  


“Ah well,” Felix looked around to Changbin and Jeongin, trying to figure what was the appropriate way to react. Both of them wore a sort of unreadable, bored look on their faces.

“It’s nice to meet you, Hyunjin,” he subtly bowed.

“Likewise. But oh, shouldn’t we get this beautiful stallion to rest. I just brought some fresh water too,” he said motioning to the buckets of water behind him, “it is truly a joy that the fences have been renewed. I heard our little woodsmith here has been working really hard, hasn’t he.”

Jeongin gave an awkward smile and a nod as a response to Hyunjin’s honey-dripping voice. 

"But well, let us hurry now. Everyone’s anticipating you, Felix. Will you help me with the water, Changbin?”

“Yes. Assist Felix with the horses, Jeongin,” Changbin nodded.

Jeongin opened the gate, stepping in first, giving a few pets to Hyunjin’s horse who was the closest to the gate. Then signaling for Felix to bring his horse in, while Changbin and Hyunjin carried the water to the trough. 

“Is everyone awake, waiting?” Changbin asked the alpha, speaking directly at him for the first time during their interaction that early morning.

“Yes.” 

And with Hyunjin leading the way, they walked up to the highest expanse of the hill.

The first thing that Felix noticed was light that emitted from the campfire that had been set in the open that had formed in the middle of the shelters and huts that were surrounded by the trees growing from the soil of the hill. 

A figure was sitting next to the fire, elbows leaning to his knees. Upon their approaching, the person stood up and Felix recognized him as the head alpha. 

After giving a little nod to Hyunjin, he stepped in front of Felix, saying something what the omega assumed was meant as a welcome. He didn’t really hear anything over the noise of his thumping heart. Whether the reason for his rapid heartbeat was the strain of the journey, the anxiety he felt about the situation, the escaping, or the fact that he was currently looking at the eyes of the alpha much closer than he had ever had before, he didn’t know. 

As his gaze focused on the scar that ran across the left side of the alpha’s face, he caught a sight of some movement at the corner of his eyes. A small boy emerged from one of the houses. As he skipped past the campfire, Felix could see the amber of his eyes shining bright, mirroring the big smile that he wore on his face. 

The omega introduced himself as Jisung. The warmth of his eyes was reflected in his bubbly personality. Similar warmth was present in the behaviour of the next person he was introduced to, a beta called Minho who suggested they all sit down and have a meal.

“You must be hungry from your journey, Felix.”

Felix nodded.

When Felix looked up from the food he was just starting to eat, he was surprised to see another person now sitting at the company of the others.

Jisung who noticed Felix getting startled laughed.

“That’s Seungmin. A beta. He’s probably the shyest out of all of us,” he explained, “the meat you’re eating right now: hunted by him. And well, me too, but didn’t want to boast.”

Felix laughed, _didn’t you just do exactly that_. 

The two same-aged omegas continued their light-hearted conversation. On the opposite side of them Minho was listening to Hyunjin tell him some story, while Seungmin, Changbin and Jeongin were conversing beside them. Chan was sitting exaltedly somewhere on the other side of Jisung, a bit away from the others, silent. 

A small smile crept on Felix’s face as he looked around the area that was now far more illuminated by the sun that it had just a moment ago. He had made it. 

And although he had always been advised to not take food from or to trust strangers in any form, he happily ate with the pack because as he had told Changbin the first time they had met, if they had meant any harm for him, he’d be already long gone. 

It didn’t feel like home yet but he hoped it soon would. He didn’t even know where he’d supposed to put his personal belongings or where he was supposed to sleep. 

It felt a bit greedy to ask but he had to satiate his curiosity on how he would be living from here on out. 

“Uhh, I’m sorry to interrupt,” he stopped Jisung’s rambling, “but where would it be appropriate for me to dwell here?”

“Ah yes, I should have told you before. Do you see that den?” he pointed at the door that he had himself come out of when Felix had first seen him.

The elven nodded.

“You can take that as your own for now. I was actually getting it ready for you just as you arrived. It’s usually habited by Changbin but me and him we uhh, we have other places on the north side of the hill. For, well, you should know,, nesting reasons.”

“Ah… Isn’t that- Isn’t that unfair to Changbin. I appreciate your effort Jisung, I really do but I just feel bad…” Felix sulked a little.

“Ah, no. Oh Felix, you’re such a good kid.”

_We’re the same age._

“He doesn’t mind. Sleeping at a different location than normally really is really not the biggest hurdle he’s come across. After all, he usually has to go there for reasons he dislikes a lot more. And it’s temporary too, I bet we’ll soon figure out a more permanent dwelling for you,” Jisung reassured him. 

Felix didn’t notice how the boy’s eyes averted to the biggest building visible in the area as he spoke.

Quickly he moved his attention back to Felix:

"Do you want to set up your things? It's not good to keep them outside, it might rain today."

The blonde nodded. 

"Yes, that'd be nice."

They stood up together, going over to where Felix had dropped off his packages.

The little hut was comfortable, humble, but well sheltered. It did still feel a little bad that Changbin had to move to make space for him but Jisung was right. He knew that Changbin naturally put other people's comfort above his own. So caring deep inside. 

The day passed as he was acquianted to the lands and its surrondings by Jisung and Changbin and as Minho invited him to come and feed the horses with him. 

After the sun had long gone down, everyone was prepared to end the day and go to sleep. Except for Chan, who was apparently in the charge of the night guarding tonight. 

Felix was talking to Changbin, apologising for the last time about the hassle that he had caused for him when his eyes caught the sight of Hyunjin laying down a large piece of fur on the ground, laying down on it after tying all of his hair up with a ribbon.

"Is- Is he going to just sleep right there on the open air?" he asked Changbin in a hushed voice.

Changbin spared a single look at the silver-head and answered, not bothering to lower his voice that much:

"don't mind him, he's a weirdo."

Felix laughed awkwardly, looking at the alpha again. He really did have all his belongings that he had with him next to him on the ground. The most eye-catching of them were the two long swords that laid on his right side in their jeweked scabbards. 

He looked so paradoxical, lying there with his long hair and his valuable looking belongings on the dirty ground. 

His stature, presence and the gaze of blue eyes so dominant and intimidating but his actions and words so flimsy and ditzy. 

"Well," Changbin spoke up, re-catching Felix's attention, "I'll be going now. I hope you can get some sleep, hoping that for myself too... I'll see you in the morning."

"Oh, you too! I hope you sleep well," Felix said, looking directly at the mismatched eyes of the older, "and thank you Changbin. So much. For everything."

A meek smile climbed up Changbin's face and he shook his head.

"Good night, Felix," he said, turning around and walking off. 

Felix walked into his dwell, changed his clothes and lied down. 

He really hoped that Changbin's wish for his good night's sleep would come through because honestly, his mind was way too full for him to get sleep yet although tiredness was tormenting his body.

His thoughts were hopping between all the new people he had met today. The people who were practically his family. From the friendly and lively Jisung who he had immediately become friends with to the quiet beta Seungmin. From the serious but gentle Minho to the confusing enigma that was Hwang Hyunjin who seemingly awakened feelings of both respect and despise depending on the person. The pair of Changbin and Jeongin who he felt already so connected to and safe with. 

And lastly to the, almost plaintive, leading, ~~**attractive**~~ -

_stop that, Felix._

\- alpha who was now guarding the whole pack outside. His mind lingered on him a bit longer than they should've perhaps.

Felix knew he was still clueless. About the pack. About life. But as he lied there, a victorious grin took over him. 

He had done it. He had freed himself. He had taken his destiny in his own hands.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually have a plan for the next chapter (I did not have for this one and I was hella lost for a moment) so uhh fuck yeaaa, tryna get that out by the end of this month


	4. !!

I hate these type of "author's note/annoncement" chapters. I'm going to delete this when I'll pose the next chp.

Anyways, hi, just wanted to pop up and tell the people who are subscribed to this work that I'm taking a break with this one. I haven't been really writing bc of personal reasons and also the current situation with Hyunjin makes me feel not good about continuing this rn. Especially because Hyunjin's character in this strory is quite controversial and the next chapters would be very focused on him.

So I'm probably going to continue this some time in April after the situation has settled and/or when I've written this so far that his character becomes fully realised in the story.

pls have a nice start for your spring and do and create cool shit :)


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